How Does One Medical Compare to Carbon Health?

One Medical and Carbon Health are telehealth companies based in San Fransisco. Both companies are dedicated to creating accessible healthcare for people across the United States. This article will discuss the similarities and differences between One Medical and Carbon Health to help you decide which company may best suit your health needs. 

Similarities Between One Medical and Carbon Health

Although One Medical has more brand recognition than Carbon Health, both companies share the same mission: streamlining health services through technology and healthcare. Some essential similarities between One Medical and Carbon Health are their onsite locations, insurance, lab services, and overall health services. 

Healthcare Locations 

One Medical and Carbon Health have onsite doctor offices across the United States. You can get bloodwork done, tested for COVID-19, and visit urgent care centers at their onsite locations. One Medical currently has more locations across the United States than Carbon Health, though both are continuously expanding.

The companies also offer virtual care options for primary care and mental health services. One Medical offers 24/7 virtual care through video chat, which can help you bypass expensive ER or urgent care visit fees. Carbon Health’s app allows you to book same-day appointments, view your digital medical records, fill prescriptions, and chat or video call with your doctor. 

Insurance

One Medical and Carbon Health accept insurance but may accept different plans. One Medical has a broader range of plans they are in-network with than Carbon Health. However, both companies accept Medicare. You can search Medicare insurance plans with the links below:

• One Medical Medicare insurance finder
• Carbon Health insurance finder

Lab Services

One Medical and Carbon Health utilize Labcorp and Quest for lab services. You can look at these third-party labs for the cost of bloodwork or other lab work services. Outside of company-specific administrative fees, the pricing for labwork should be similar for both companies.

Carbon Health also utilizes Curative, Inc. and Alto Pharmacy. Carbon Health’s partnership with Alto Pharmacy allows patients to access at-home COVID-19 lab testing kits, which has helped overburdened clinics experience less traffic during the pandemic. 

Healthcare Services

One Medical and Carbon Health offer comprehensive and similar services. One Medical’s core healthcare categories are:

• Wellness and Prevention
• Everyday Care
• Chronic Care
• Mental Health
• LGBTGIA+ Services
• Urgent Care
• Sexual Health

Carbon Health’s core healthcare categories include:

• Primary Care
• Urgent Care
• Mental Health
• Women’s Health
• LBGTQIA+ Care
• COVID-19 care

The table below compares specific health concerns addressed by One Medical and Carbon Health.

Sources: Mira, Carbon Health

Differences Between One Medical and Carbon Health

This section will discuss important differences between One Medical and Carbon Health, including focus, membership, price transparency, insurance, and mental health services.

Focus

While One Medical and Carbon Health share a similar mission, their approaches vary slightly. One Medical is more focused on creating clinics and outpatient services. Their model more closely resembles a traditional physical doctor’s office. Carbon Health is focused on creating mobile-based healthcare networks and clinics. Their vision is more technologically based. 

Cost of Membership and Services

One Medical has a membership fee of $199 annually. Along with this annual fee, you also pay for the services you utilize, either out-of-pocket or through your insurance. 

For example, bloodwork with One Medical costs approximately $60 per test or more. To use lab services, you must have at least one appointment with One Medical, which can cost between $175-$520. As a result, you would pay the annual membership fee, the cost of labwork, the price of a first-time appointment, and administrative fees. You can use insurance to pay for service costs but not the membership fee. 

On the other hand, Carbon Health does not have any membership or subscription fees. You only pay for the services you utilize, either out-of-pocket or through your insurance.

Price Transparency 

One Medical has low price transparency regarding its services.  The company strongly reiterates that your costs depend on your insurance plan. It is best to contact your insurance provider to know what you are expected to pay.

On the other hand, Carbon Health has good price transparency. It is easy to discern service pricing through its website or customer service line. One Medical, however, provides more frequent discount codes than Carbon Health. 

Insurance

One Medical is not compatible with uninsured individuals or individuals that do not belong to an ACA (Affordable Care Act) plan. In other words, One Medical is a supplementary insurance option. They bill you through your insurance to streamline their healthcare services.

Carbon Health accepts most major insurance plans but is still compatible with uninsured individuals. As such, the prices are meant to be affordable without insurance. Carbon Health is more similar to a discount health program and does not require you to have insurance. 

Mental Health Services

One Medical provides virtual mental health appointments and in-person psychiatric visits. However, the providers are not directly supplied through One Medical. Carbon Health only provides virtual mental health services.

One Medical Versus Carbon Health: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The following section will answer some frequently asked questions about One Medical and Carbon Health.

Which telehealth company is best for me?

This question has no straightforward answer since everyone’s health needs differ. For example, if you do not have insurance or want to minimize costs, Carbon Health may be your best option. On the other hand, if in-person mental health services are essential to you, One Medical may be a better option for you. 

Location is also a factor, as one company may be far from you. Check if One Medical and Carbon Health offices are in your city before deciding.

How do I access the One Medical and Carbon Health apps?

One Medical and Carbon Health offer apps on the Apple App Store and Google Play. These apps allow you to book appointments, video call your doctor, own digital medical records, fill prescriptions, view lab results, and request care for common health issues like colds. 

One Medical gives its members 24/7 virtual care from anywhere in the world. There is no additional charge for video chat or treatment services through the app.

Are these companies affiliated with other corporations?

Amazon absorbed one Medical on February 22, 2023. The partnership is focused on delivering easy and accessible healthcare to a broader area of people.

Carbon Health is not officially affiliated with a larger corporation but recently received a massive investment from CVS Health Ventures. The investment will allow CVS to use Carbon Health’s primary care operating model inside existing CVS locations to transform the patient experience for CVS consumers. 

Do these companies accept FSA or HSA?

Carbon Health accepts HSAs and FSAs to pay for their services. You cannot use FSAs and HSAs to cover the One Medical membership fee. However, you should contact your insurance provider or internal benefits manager to see if your FSA or HSA would be accepted to pay One Medical service fees.

Bottom Line

One Medical and Carbon Health are both telehealth companies dedicated to patient-centric care through the intersection of health and technology. They offer similar and comprehensive services across the United States. Some crucial differences include their focus, membership fees, price transparency, insurance, and mental health services.